Kochi: The Nair Service Society (NSS) has moved a petition in the High Court, challenging a single bench decision that cancelled the 10 per cent community reservation quota in aided educational institutions being run by sections other than the backward/minority groups.

The government submitted before the high court that allotment would not be made to the 10 per cent community quota in NSS-run higher secondary schools from open merit.

A division bench comprising Justice P B Suresh Kumar and Justice C S Sudha recorded the government's submission and posted the case to Thursday for further hearing.

The government in an order issued on July 7 allowed 10 per cent community quota in aided higher secondary schools operated by communities other than backward and minority managements. The order reserved 10 per cent of seats to students belonging to the respective communities on merit basis.

More than 75 school managements challenged the government order in the high court demanding a verification of the admission procedures. The petitioners included managements of individual, society, trust and agency-run institutions.

The single bench that heard the case cancelled the government order on July 27, saying it was unconstitutional. The court also directed school managements to admit students to the 10 per cent seats from the open merit through centralised allotment.

In its petition, the NSS said that the court had not heard the forward communities before passing the judgment. It also pointed out that the 10 per cent quota for forward communities amounted to discrimination since institutions run by backward and minority sections have 20 per cent community quota.

The NSS also challenged the single bench's observation that 10 per cent community quota was unconstitutional since the majority of aided schools in the State are being run by forward community managements. The petition said only 10 per cent of aided schools are functioning under forward communities.

The petition also pointed out that the 10 per cent community quota was meant for students from the economically backward sections in forward communities.